Washing tray



July 5, 1949. w, c. sm 2,475,259

WASHING TRAY Filed April 26, 1945 INVENTOR. Will/am SMq/efon www AT TORNEYS Patented July 5, 1949 [TED EN? ()FFI'CE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to washing" trays, and particularly to trays for mom hospitals for washing or shampooing the header a person while lying down in a horizontal or an inclined position on a bed, operating table, or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a freely movable tray of the kind referred to, adapted for direct support on a bed, operating table or the like, without requiring any adjustable or separate equipment for supporting the 't'ray, or any-abnormal posture of the person on such bed, table or the like.

Another object is to provide a head washing ray adapted for bed use and having the floor of the tray so disposed that the tray completely drains without disturbing the head, and no point on the top surface of the floor is lower than the outlet for the liquid in the tray when the person, whose head is supported on the tray, is lying down in a horizontal or an inclined position.

Another object is to prevent splashing of the washing liquid out either side of the tray near the head or neck and to :prevent leakage of the liquid between the neck and the tray wall while the tray provides a clear space for carrying on the washing operations from the rear of the tray back of the head or from either side of the tray.

The foregoing and other objects and features of the invention are attained by the construction and arrangement of the parts of the tray and will be understood more fully from the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation in section of a tray, taken on line l-l of Fig. 4, and showing the head of a person lying down substantially horizontally on a bed;

Fig. 2 is a section similar to Fig. 1 showing the tray inclined to the horizontal for use with a person in an inclined position;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the tray of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the tray of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, a tray Ill has a substantially fiat floor II and side walls l2, ll, 22, 25 upstanding from the edges of the floor. The tray may be constructed of any suitable waterproof and corrosion resistant material, such as stainless steel, enameled steel, hard rubber, or other suitable plastic, the tray being preferably of relatively thin material to provide a light weight construction, the wall l2 being preferably formed integrally with the floor H. The head l3 of the person lying down on the bed I4 is supported on a rigid, inverted, cup-shaped platform l5, having the cushion is of sponge rubber or other suitable resilient material upon the-upper surface of the platform, as a rest for the head, the platforml5 being supported directly from the floor H, and being secured thereto in any convenient manner. It is located near the forward side wall ll of the tray adjacent the arcuate recessed portion l8 in the forward side wall ll. A cushioning strip IQ of rubber or other suitable resilient waterproof material covers and edge 18 of the recessed portion it and folds over each side face of the wall ii. The strip it may bevulcanized. directly on the wall ll or may be retained in rposition by-the overlapping construction of the strip, or may be otherwise secured to the wall H. A bar 20, fast to the under surface of the floor M, at one side of the head position and parallel with the side walls l2 and 22, serves to elevate theside of the tray adjacent wall 22, while the other side of the tray at wall i2, Fig. 4, acts as a fulcrum supporting the tray. A single drain outlet 23 connects with the tra at the corner between the unclevated side wall it, the floor II and the forward wall ll for discharging the washing liquid from the tray. The rubber or other suitable flexible drain tube 24, connected with outlet 23, may lead to a pail or sewer connection. The forward wall it of the tray is preferably made higher above the floor ll of the tray, except for the recessed portion 28, than the rear Wall 25 of the tray, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and forward portions 26 and 2'! of the walls l2 and 22, respectively, are similarly preferably at a higher level above the floor l l than the rear wall 25, in order to prevent splashing of the washing liquid out of the tray.

As will be seen in Fig. 1, the head [3 may rest comfortably upon the cushion IS on platform It while the neck 28 rests upon the cushion strip l9 and seals the space between the wall H and the neck 28 to prevent leakage of washing liquid between the neck and the tray. The hair 29 may extend downward to the floor II, and is kept within the limits of tray by side walls l2, I7, 22 and 25. The washing liquid may be poured on the hair or head by a hose, pitcher or other suitable means, not shown. The forward wall I1 and the higher portions of the tray together with the high portions 26 and 2? of walls 52 and 22, respectively, prevent splashing of the washing liquid from the tray while the nurse or person performing the washing operation is provided with ample space and access to the head l3 and the hair 29, while standing either at the rear of wall 25 or at either side wall 2| or 22.

Since the floor ll of the tray is substantially flat and the downward pressure of the head l3 tends to sink the forward side I! of the tray slightly lower than the rear side 25, owing to the yieldable character of the bedding, the liquid within the tray tends to accumulate at the forward wall I! and at the corner between floor II and walls I! and I2, because of the elevation of one side of the tray by the bar 20 and the depression of forward Wall I! by the head. It will thus be seen that all liquid in the tray is conveniently drained through the outlet 23, Without requiring any extra operation. The bar 20 is preferably made of lightweight construction by being formed of sheet material similar to that of the tray, and having a V-shaped cross-section, the upper free ends of the V being made fast by welding or other suitable means to the under surface of the floor I I.

The form of tray described herein has been found particularly effective for hospital and sick bed use because of its light weight construction and the avoidance of any relatively movable parts or separate equipment or adjustment for supporting the tray on the bed, operating table, or the like. Furthermore, 'the patient or person whose head is being washed may remain in a natural position lying down horizontally as in Fig. 1, or inclined so that washing may be done conveniently with the tray in the position shown in Fig.2.

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention. I do not wish, however, to be confined to the embodiments shown, but what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. In a device of the class described, an inclined tray member having a floor portion and supported at one end by a bar of V-shaped cross-section, side Walls surrounding the floor portion, an arouate recessed portion in one of the side walls shaped to conform to the contours of the neck of a person whose head is positioned within the tray member, and an inverted cup-shaped platform secured to the floor portion and disposed adjacent to and below the recessed portion and adapted to support the head.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the platform is provided with a resilient cushion of sponge-like material upon the upper surface thereof.

WILLIAM C. SINGLETON.

REFERENCES CITED The following referen ces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,224,838 Blissman et a1 May 1, 1917 1,400,174 Levy Dec. 13, 1921 1,79 ,348 Cannady Feb. 3, 1931 1,817,625 Holmes Aug. 4, 1931 1,868,598 Gower July 26, 1932 2,161,590 Rickard June 6, 1939 2,212,016 Ellis Aug. 20, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 682,271 Germany Oct. 11, 1939 

